1989 club cart will not start

Mattrx85

I just bought an 89 lifted club cart. It ran fine when I test drove it and ran fine when I got it home. However, the next day not so much. I have changed the battery, tested the microswitches (by bypassing them with a fuse). The solenoid clicks When pressing the gas peddle. How ever that's all I get. I just can't get the starter/ generator to turn over. Please help.

BGW

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meimk

Do you have a volt meter or test light? At the solenoid one the BIG terminals are power in and power out, the small terminals control the switching. If it's clicking then the solenoid is switching. The questions now are:
1)Does one side have battery voltage (12 volts) all the time?
If no, check your + battery connection
If yes go to #2
2)Does the other side have battery voltage when you push the pedal and hear the click?
If no , replace the solenoid
If yes go to #3
3)When the pedal is pushed and you hear the click, is there battery voltage at the larger white wire at the Starter / Generator?
If no, check the wire & terminals between the solenoid and the Starter / Generator.
If yes, check for ground at the Starter / Generator. There is a wire from the end housing of the Starter Generator that goes up to the frame rail above the engine. I see many "no start" situations like this caused by poor ground connection. As a test you can use a jumper cable to run to a good ground (even direct to the - side of the battery) and see if that allows it to start.
If all of that checks out good, the problem is the Starter / Generator itself.

Mattrx85

Well, I started playing with the voltage meter and in the act of testing the solenoid I pressed the gas peddle and the cart started. I am getting over 13 volts from the battery and solenoid. I don't trust the carts reliability. I plan on changing out the solenoid and all micro switches. Hopefully that helps.

meimk

If the solenoid was clicking before, the micro switches were working. Your money ,so do what you like , but the switches never were part of your problem. If I were you I'd change the solenoid and make sure the connections at the solenoid were good and clean while you're at it. Glad to hear it's starting again for you.

ericandrews331@msn.com

Make sure your grounds are good also

Mattrx85

Where does the ground from the starter/generator come from and connect to? I have ordered a new solenoid and will replace it on Friday, but I want to ensure the grounds are all connected

Springbok

Here's your wiring diagram:

meimk

The ground lead for the starter / generator is from the drivers side end cap of the starter housing and goes up to the frame rail that crosses over the top of the engine compartment. The "main" ground is from the battery negative terminal, to the frame rail just next to the battery case. In fact you generally need to remove the battery to access it. A poor connection due to loose or corroded terminals can cause a variety of otherwise mysterious issues.

Mattrx85

OK. Update. I have replace the solenoid and now when checking the connections on the solenoid I get 12.70 V with the ignition on but once I press the gas that drops to zero.

meimk

That would be on the smaller terminals, right? That would be normal. Those small terminals are powered (battery voltage) when key switch is "on", grounding the one side (through the upper micro switch in the "box") is what throws the switch in the solenoid to send power out the other big terminal and onward to the starter.